From The Pages
by Nova Starlight
Summary: Sequel to "Diary of A Prince". Goten finally reads the diary and He and Vegeta must deal with their grief. Then an opportunity arises and Trunks is brought back. Will he be able to stay? and will he work things out with Vegeta?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own DragonBall Z or any of its characters

Author's Notes: This story is a sequel to "Diary of A Prince" This story will not make much sense if you have not read it.

From The Pages

By: Nova Starlight

Chapter 1: The Diary Is Read Again

Goten sat looking out the window as a violent thunderstorm raged outside. It had now been three months since Trunks had died and there did not seem to be one day that Goten did not inexplicably burst into tears. Just a mention of Trunks' name and he was torn apart like tissue paper. He had not been able to bring himself to attend the funeral, always saying that he would return later to pay his respects. As of now that day had not come, he would plan to go and then chicken out at the last minute. He would lay awake every night, thinking about Trunks and everything that had happened between them. All of their disagreements seemed so silly now that he was gone.

Suddenly, lightning struck outside his window, casting light on Trunks' journal. That had been another prominent thought these last few weeks. Since Vegeta had brought it to him he had not been able to bring himself to read it. There was a part of him that was afraid to read it because he would then see in black and white how much he had hurt Trunks. Now, even as the light had dissipated he could not take his eyes off of it. Finally, as if he were compelled by some unknown force he got up and walked over to his desk where the journal was laying. He picked it up and let his fingers gently run over the printed name on the outside of the journal.

He carried the journal over to his bed and lay down on his stomach to read it. He took one last deep breath and then he entered the world of his beloved's inner most thoughts. While he read the journal his emotions rose and plummeted as if they were on a roller coaster. When he finished he could not stop himself from giving in to sobs at his discoveries. He had never suspected that Trunks had been depressed enough to take his own life, and knowing that he had been a factor in that depression was something that he had a hard time dealing with. As he closed the book and placed it back on his desk he hoped that when he saw Trunks again, he would be forgiven.

The next morning when he awoke, his eyes gravitated immediately to the journal. For the sake of his sanity he knew that he could not keep it any longer and was not sure what he could do with it. He finally decided to return it to Vegeta and let him make the decision on what to do with it.

When he arrived at Capsule Corp. Bulma was the one to answer the door and for some reason he hid the journal behind his back. Then he asked, "Where is Vegeta?"

She looked at him strangely as if he had just asked her how to get to mars, but finally she replied, "He went out about a half hour ago. I would say that you could find him at Trunks' grave."

Goten sighed as he considered going there. He had been avoiding it for so long he was not sure that he could. He thanked Bulma and after she had closed the door he took a long hard look at the journal still clenched in his hands. He made the decision right then and there to face his fears and go to the grave and give the journal back to Vegeta.

At that time Vegeta was standing over Trunks' grave and he still could not believe that three months had passed since his death. His relationship with Bulma and Bra had improved but there was still a nagging sense of doubt in his mind. Part of him could not believe that Bra would still look up to him or that Bulma would still want to make love to him and lay in his arms after the way Trunks had died. He sensed Goten approaching him from behind and he turned to face him. He saw that he was standing there visibly nervous and trying very hard to keep a small smile on his face. "What do you want?" he asked Goten.

"I came to return the journal to you," he replied. "I finally brought myself to read it last night and I was shocked at some of the things he had written." Vegeta took the journal that he was holding out and then he turned away from him. Instead of leaving at that point, Goten came forward and stood next to Vegeta looking down at the tombstone and the grass that had now totally grown over the grave. "It's so hard to believe that he is gone," Goten whispered.

Vegeta snorted, "I am sure it is hard for you to believe considering that this is the first time that you have visited his grave since he died three months ago." He saw him visibly wince at that remark but he said nothing in his defense. Vegeta turned away and started to leave but stopped short to say one more thing over his shoulder. "You know I have no idea why my son would fall in love with you."

Goten's rage finally reached the surface when he heard that statement. "Why is that?" he asked. "Is it because I am a man, or the spawn of Kakkarot? Which one do you have a bigger objection to? You are such a narcissistic piece of shit! I am not the only one who contributed to Trunks' depression."

Vegeta turned around once again to face him. "I am not playing innocent here," he bit out. "But I am not going to let you do it either. You did not deserve him, he loved you loyally and you did not treat him right."

"Me? Not treat him right?" Goten exclaimed. "Who do you think you are talking to? I was the only one who gave a damn for him. It was my shoulder that he cried on and I was the one he told all of his secrets to, I loved him more than anything. He always ran to me for comfort and that is what is really upsetting you, isn't it?" Vegeta was a little surprised that Goten was willing to stand up to him like this. After years of observing him and Trunks, he had always considered Goten to be the shyer and more reserved of the two.

Finally, he replied in a quiet tone, "Some supporter you were, when he did not give you what you wanted when you wanted it, you just cast him aside." Then he walked off.

Goten's face became slack and he felt tears begin to come to his eyes. He looked down at the tombstone and let all of his tears fall. He knelt down and ran his fingers of the smooth stone and whispered, "I love you Trunks." After a few minutes he regained his composure and left the cemetery, using all of his control to not turn around and look back.

Days later Vegeta sat around Capsule Corp. bored out of his mind. He would have normally spent his days training before Trunks' death but now he would just lay about the house and hope that Bulma would come up with something for him to do. He needed some sort of activity or otherwise his thoughts would just linger on Trunks. He turned on the television and flipped through channels with no real interest in watching anything. Within moments he had laid back his head and fallen asleep.

As he was sleeping, his mind was filled with images of Trunks' death replaying over and over again. He woke up with a start, his body covered in a cold sweat and he wished this persistent nightmare would end. He looks around the room and sees the diary that was just returned to him that afternoon lying on the coffee table. He was thrown into an instant rage and he picked it up and went to the boiler room of the laboratory complex. He opens the door of the furnace and reaches back his hand to throw it inside. At that moment, something within him kicked in and he stopped himself from throwing it in. There must have been some reason that he had found and read this journal. He owed it to Trunks to keep it protected. He remembered that Bulma had a safe in their bedroom, hidden behind a painting. He decided to put the journal there and never look at it again, dwelling in what he could no longer change was becoming too much for him.

It was a week later that he found himself at Trunks' grave again. He had to admit that he felt somewhat better after putting the journal away where it could not be easily seen, though it in no way removed all of his guilt. He knelt down and placed the flowers he had bought on Trunks' grave without realizing that he was being watched. A being of the otherworld was watching him from the trees. There would be a major decision regarding Vegeta and quite a few that were interested in the outcome.

To Be Continued. . .

Author's Notes: I hope everyone who read and loved Diary of A Prince will enjoy this sequel.


	2. Chapter 2

From The Pages

By: Nova Starlight

Chapter 2: In Exchange For Eternity

Many creatures of Heaven and Hell had gathered together for a very important speech that the Supreme Kai was about to give. The Supreme Kai had spent the last few weeks re-evaluating the souls of some of the people who had been sentenced to Hell a long time ago. Enma and Princess Snake were there and listening very carefully to find out what would become of Vegeta's soul. Both of them believed that he should be in Hell and were worried that the Supreme Kai would take pity on him and change that.

They looked forward immediately and quieted when they saw the Supreme Kai stand straight ready to address the crowd. He knew that this had been one of the most difficult decision he had ever had to make and would probably cause the most uproar. "Spirits of Heaven and Hell, I have come forward to announce that despite pleas from his victims, West Kai, South Kai, East Kai, Enma Princess Snake. I believe that Prince Vegeta's crimes are in the past and he should be granted a new status of 'redeemed.'"

They were both stunned, each had believed that their plea would have been enough to convince Shin to change his decision. It seemed such was not the case and now when Vegeta died he would be allowed access into Heaven and receive no punishment for his crimes. There had to be something that they could do to stop this from happening. They looked at each other and slipped away from the crowd quietly.

A week later, Vegeta was once again visiting Trunks's grave, he trudged through the fallen leaves barely registering the passing of a season. When he reached Trunks's tombstone he leaned down and brushed away the leaves that had fallen over his name. There had to be something he could do, though he was more accepting of Trunks' death now, he had not even began to really deal with it. The constant flashbacks seemed to keep him from ever really putting it all behind him. As he thought over everything again he felt tears come to his eyes.

Watching him covertly from a tall branch in a nearby tree, was a demon that Princess Snake and Enma had sent. He watched Vegeta closely and felt an odd mixture of shock and glee when he saw those tears. This was going to be much easier than he could have ever thought possible. Though he had to admit he would have never believed from all the stories he had been told that their plan would have worked at all. He lowered himself down gently to the ground and began to approach Vegeta from behind, with every step he was just waiting to be sensed.

When Vegeta did sense him and turned around, he stopped short and maintained eye contact with him for a few moments. "Are you Prince Vegeta?" he asked.

"Who wants to know?" Vegeta snapped back. "And you had better have a good reason for bugging me, because this is not a good time. He smiled instinctively but then he realized that smile might put him in a considerably worse mood, so he turned his head away.

"My name is not important, I am a demon from the otherworld and I am here to inform you that there was an appeal to your status of redeemed that was overruled. There were quite a few people that were upset by that decision."

"Well, it seems to be in people's natures to be pissed off about one thing or another," replied Vegeta. "I just don't have any idea what the hell you expect me to do about it."

'That's where my offer comes in," the demon countered. "I can give you something you want, for example the return of your son's life, in exchange for your soul spending an eternity in Hell."

Vegeta's eyes bugged out of his head. Could it be true? Was there really a way to get his son's life back? "How can you make such an offer?" he asked.

"Let's just say that I have my ways," he replied. "Now are you interested or not?" Vegeta looked down and quickly pondered his options. Deep down he had always known that Hell was where he really belonged, what hardship would it be to go where he should have always been to give his son another chance.

"I'll do it," he replied. Then he watched as the demon unrolled a parchment and produced a quill for him to sign it with. He quickly scrawled his signature on the parchment and it disappeared.

"I'll bring Trunks to Capsule Corp tomorrow at three p.m. exactly," he commented. "Everything else will be arranged without you needing to do anything. I would suggest you not inform the whole world of our agreement." Then he himself disappeared into thin air Vegeta was left wondering if it had all really happened and excitedly looking forward to the next day. He smiled and thought of everything that he needed to do; most importantly he needed to make sure that he let Goten know so he could be there as well.

The next day, Vegeta waited nervously for Trunks's arrival. He was not sure how everything would play out so the only people there waiting with him were, Bulma, Bra, and Goten. Each one of them was nervous for their own reasons and as he looked over at Bulma, he saw her watching the second hand on her clock tick by expectantly. As the hands finally aligned to at three p.m. she looked up to see a bright burst of light. The area in front of them seemed to warp and rip as if it were simply a backdrop of colored paper. Then Trunks appeared and everyone was focused on him.

Trunks was looking around stunned by the scenery. One moment he had been in the otherworld and suddenly it looked like he was back on Earth. When he looked towards the people anxiously standing before him, he was rushed at by his mother, sister, and lover; who were all sobbing hysterically. Not sure what the hell was happening, other than the fact that he actually seemed to be back on Earth, he remained silent and allowed himself to enjoy being hugged.

Then he felt as if his eyes were pulling him to look elsewhere and he made eye contact with the one person that was not hugging him and crying. Vegeta stood back watching the entire scene with a strange look on his face. Trunks knew that he should not have expected anything different but for some reason he had; though he would be the first to admit he did not know what he really had expected. He looked away and gently pushed Bulma and Bra from his body, but remained holding on to Goten.

He sighed when he remembered how their relationship had ended. All those fights over him not revealing his sexuality to his parents, well that was no longer going to be a problem, he was going to make sure of it. He looked into Goten's eyes and brushed away the tears from his cheeks. "I am going to give you everything you wanted," he whispered softly. Then he kissed him hard and passionately, Goten was surprised by the kiss but found himself relaxing into it despite his shock. Trunks however remained observant, while they were kissing he let his eyes meet Vegeta's again wanting to gauge his reaction. He was waiting for the surprise, disgust, or anger to come crossing over his features but it never did.

After about fifteen minutes he broke the kiss and kept his eyes on Vegeta. "Why weren't you surprised, Vegeta?" he asked.

He could feel himself wince in response to being called by his name, instead of Dad or Father. He saw Goten open his mouth and realized he was probably going to mention the journal. He looked at him crossly until he closed his mouth again. Then he looked back at Trunks and replied, "Kakkarot's brat told me everything after you died. So I already know about the two of you having a relationship."

Trunks smiled and began to approach him. "Good," he stated. "That will make what I am about to say much easier." He stopped as he and Vegeta were standing toe to toe. "I hate you," he whispered. Vegeta's jaw dropped but he had even more to say. "I spent my life here trying to impress you and never succeeding. Well, I have realized something, I don't give a damn what you think of me. You could die right now, right here in front of me and I would not bat an eye." With each hurtful word, Vegeta felt as if a knife was being twisted in his heart. Then Trunks took a deep breath and delivered the final blow. "Fuck your approval, and fuck you." Then he looked away from him.

Vegeta hated this feeling, he had known since reading that diary that Trunks had reason to hate him, but the knowledge had been battling his hope that he would be forgiven. He should have known better. He watched Trunks start to approach Goten and silently listened to see what he would say to him.

Goten saw Trunks approach him and closed his eyes. He had been more than a little shocked to see the way that Trunks had come at Vegeta. His mind was unwillingly recalling all the things that he had done that would anger Trunks and just waited for a similar onslaught. Then he felt hands wrap around him and hold him gently to Trunks' body. "I know we have a lot to talk about," he said finally. "But for now I only have one question, can I move in with you?"

Goten opened his eyes and looked at Trunks. "Of course you can," he replied. Trunks then smiled at him brightly and he felt as if his heart had skipped a beat. He had definitely gotten the opposite of what he had been expecting.

After a few seconds he turned away and commented, "I'll just go upstairs and pack my things. I do not see any sense in hanging around here longer than necessary." Goten followed him mutely, still somewhat in a residual state of shock, and barely noticed that Bulma had followed him upstairs to his room as well.

"Trunks, I know you and Vegeta have always had your differences, but is that any reason for you to leave like this?"

"I cannot think of a better reason," he replied.

"Please Trunks, you just got back and now you are leaving again."

"Don't be melosdramatic mom. I am just moving a few miles away, not leaving for another planet. Then he opened his closet and began grabbing piles of clothes and other miscellaneous items at random and tossing them into a nearby box. When he turned around to face her is when he saw that she was really upset by the whole ordeal. "Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "I will come over and visit you all the time while Vegeta is training in the damned gravity room."

Before she could explain that there was no longer any gravity room and that Vegeta no longer trained, he had passed off his box of stuff to Goten and began to walk out the door. He hugged his mother and sister one last time before he walked right past Vegeta and out of the house.

As he walked by Vegeta, he gave him no recognition and looked as if he had simply walked by a statue, not a living, breathing, person. Watching the entire exchange, no one was really sure how to act but Goten could not help himself from feeling slightly guilty. He felw off with trunks towards his home and kept himself from looking back.

Vegeta however, watched them until he could no longer see them in the distance and then he allowed his last tear to fall and hoped that Trunks would now have the life he deserved.

To Be Continued. . .

Author's Notes: No I did not die and trust me the chapters should be posted a little more frequently now.


	3. Chapter 3

From The Pages

By: Nova Starlight

Chapter 3: New Lives Ahead

The first rays of sunlight of the new morning filtered into the bedroom through the curtains and landed on Goten's face waking him from his sleep, which was not as peaceful as he thought it should have been. It had been four months since Trunks had been given back his life and had come to live with him in his parents home. It was on that very same day that he had told off Vegeta and swore never to even look upon him again. To be honest, even though he had read Trunks' journal, he was not quite sure what about Vegeta had pushed Trunks that far. If anything he had been pretty damn sure that he would be the one that would not be forgiven. On the contrary, these past few months had been happy and they spent almost every waking moment together. Nothing should be bothering him, but he knew that this guilt about the situation with Vegeta was not going to stop nagging at him.

Goten looked over and saw that Trunks had already left the bed and allowed himself to sigh as he pondered the current situation. There were only really two options, to either get Trunks to forgive Vegeta, or he would just have to accept the decision Trunks had made and put his guilt to rest. As he lay there thinking Trunks came back into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist and Pan clinging to his calf, "Pan, what do you think you are doing!" Goten shouted at her.

"Don't yell at her Goten, she isn't hurting anyone." Goten turned blood red and gave her a glare that spoke greater volumes than any amount of yelling and shouting that he could have done. She quickly detached herself from Trunks' leg and ran out the room closing the bedroom door behind her. "She is too adorable," Trunks said with a laugh. Then he leaned in and brushed his nose gently against Goten's, "And so are you." Goten's blush grew brighter and he turned his head away.

"You spoil her," he replied. "If you keep letting her do those kinds of things it is only going to lead to heartbreak later on. My poor niece thinks that she is in love with you, you stud."

"That's silly, she knows that I am head over heels in love with her sexy uncle," he joked as he began to get dressed.

"I do hope you left the sexy part out of the explanation you gave to my four year old niece," Goten commented.

"Of course," Trunks said with a roll of his eyes. "Anyway, what are your plans for today?"

Goten knew a subject change when he came across one but he let it slide because this particular subject change presented him with an opportunity. "I was thinking maybe we could go by Capsule Corp and see your parents." He saw Trunks freeze in the middle of buttoning his shirt and turn to look at him.

"Are you joking?"

"Oh come on," Goten hedged. "You have never really told me what the big deal is between you and your dad and I don't think it would hurt to talk to him."

"Goten, I know it may sound a little silly but trust me, my dad has no interest in me either and I am sure that he is perfectly all right with the situation."

"Somehow, I don't believe that," Goten replied.

"Well it's true, now can we talk about something else?" Then Trunks finished buttoning his shirt and began to rifle around through his things.

"I am going to go take a shower and then we can do whatever you want to do," Goten said as he walked out of the room. Well, that discussion had only served to create a sore spot in their relationship and bring up a very good point. He knew that Trunks was wrong about Vegeta's lack of concern for him but he could never reveal just how he knew that without risking losing Trunks and everything that they had gained, but he had to admit that it would be a lot easier to convince Trunks that Vegeta gave a damn if Vegeta at least attempted to come see him within the past four months.

When he was done with his shower and dressed he went outside and found Trunks sitting on the grass by a tree in the backyard. "I am sorry for getting upset with you when you suggested seeing my parents," Trunks apologized to him.

"It's okay," he replied. "I was just concerned for you."

"So, I have been thinking about the whole Pan situation and I think you are right."

"Is this another diversion?" Goten said with a laugh.

"Maybe a little," he mumbled. "But anyway, I was thinking that maybe we should have a house of our own."

Goten was shocked, this was a hell of a subject change. "This morning you were perfectly ok with my niece trying to sneak peeks at you and now you want to move away?"

"Not move away," he said seriously. "I was thinking that we would just build house nearby like Gohan and Videl did. That way your mother would not go into a rant about how I am taking her baby boy away and I like this area." Despite the fact that Goten was still pretty much in shock, in that moment he got an idea.

"Sounds like a good idea, on one condition," he replied.

"What's that?" asked Trunks.

"We get to throw a big ass house warming party," he said with a smile.

"Sure thing," Trunks said as he pulled Goten down to sit next to him. They proceeded to spend the day talking about their plans for the new house and drawing out a rough sketch. By that afternoon Trunks left to go hire a contractor and Goten decided to get together a list of people to send invitations to; Vegeta included. Of course he had no intention of telling Trunks that he was inviting Vegeta but maybe if he got them both there at the party he could work on getting them talking.

Within a few months their new home had been built and filled with furniture. Their new home was about the distance of a football field from his parent's home and looked about twice as big. He was tempted to mention to Trunks that if his parents had raised two children in their tiny home that the two of them probably did not need that huge house but he had remained silent. Before he knew it he was getting ready to mail out the invitations to the party and after the rest had been put in the mailbox he stared at Vegeta's invitation in his hand. He had written a small message inside explaining his plan but now he was having second thoughts about whether sending it was a good idea.

It was at that moment that his father walked in and sat down at the kitchen table. Goku had been away in space training Ubuu during the time that Trunks had been dead and had only returned to Earth just a few days ago. To be honest, he had been gone so much in his life that it was a little unnerving to suddenly have him around the house. "Hey dad, I was wondering if you would mind going over to Capsule Corp. and telling Vegeta that he is invited to the housewarming party Trunks and I are throwing.

"Doesn't the invitation you sent to Bulma invite him too?" Goku asked.

Goten sighed, leave this to be the only time his father was ever really observant. "Actually, it doesn't because Trunks made sure of it. You see they had this fight and they are not really speaking but I want him to come to the party. Do you think you could go by and tell him, but not tell Trunks." At seeing Goku's somewhat unbelieving look, he continued, "I want it to be a surprise."

"I guess I could." He took the invitation from Goten's hand and left the house. He only hoped that Goku would be able to keep the secret for just a few days and then it would be time for the party.

When Goku arrived at Capsule Corp. there were a few things that caught his attention instantly. First, he noticed that all of the gravity simulator structures that had been erected on the property were gone and he did not see any construction that might suggest that they were being rebuilt. He received his second surprise when he knocked on the door and it was opened by Vegeta, who would normally be training away. "What the hell are you doing here Kakkarot?" Vegeta asked. "Aren't you supposed to be training Ubuu?"

"I completed his training a few days ago," he replied. "I came home and found out that Trunks had moved in and was sharing a room with Goten." At the mention of Trunks' name, Vegeta's stern look seemed to soften just a little and Vegeta stepped aside to allow him entrance. As he walked past Vegeta, he handed him the invitation and went to sit down in the living room.

Vegeta followed him and held up the envelope. "What is this?"

"It is an invitation to Trunks and Goten's house warming party. They built a house on some property near our house."

Vegeta could not stop the small smile from crossing his face and he asked with hope, "Who asked you to give this to me?"

"Goten did," Goku replied. Then he watched as Vegeta then ripped up the invitation and tossed it into the trash can. "What did you do that for?" he asked.

"I assume that Goten asked you to give me the invitation because my son does not want me there and if that is the case then I have no intention of going."

"That does not sound like the Vegeta I know," he commented. "You can't let a fight with Trunks stop you; you need to work this out with him."

"I have said all that I wish to say on the subject Kakkarot," he replied with a slightly raised voice. "Leave it alone."

"You know, there is definitely something wrong here and it is making me really wondering what the hell has been going on since I left last year. I mean I noticed that you do not even have a gravity room anymore; what is the deal with that? You not spending your every waking hour training would be like the sun not coming up."

Vegeta could not stop himself from wincing at the comment, the sad part being how accurate the statement once was. "I blew up the gravity room months ago and commanded Bulma to never build another one. Some alien showed up here on Earth, just a few months after you had left. His whole mission was to kill me and I thought he would. I was fighting him and losing, but when I thought that it was really reaching the end, Trunks stepped in the way of the blast and saved my life. At seeing my only son die I was able to attain strength I did not even know I was capable of and I was able to defeat the creature."

"How come no one told me any of this?" Goku asked.

"Does it really matter?" Vegeta asked. "Anyway, Trunks remained dead for three months because we were not able to revive him with the dragonballs on Earth or the Namekian ones. I found out why later on but that's not important. I was approached by someone from underworld who brought Trunks back in exchange for my going to Hell instead of Heaven when I die. So for the past four months he has been living with your son, in your house, because he hates me too much to stay here. I have even had to go to space for the day so that he will come over and visit with Bulma."

"Why couldn't either dragon revive him?" he asked.

"Because he wanted to be dead," Vegeta replied with a crack in his voice. "I read his journal after her had died and he had been planning on committing suicide anyway because he was miserable. That journal detailed the times when he felt the most love and hate for me, so that is why I have made the decision to respect his wishes and stay away from him." Goku leaned back and carefully thought over everything that Vegeta had just told him.

"Who in otherworld did you make a deal with?" he asked finally. "Believe it or not, I do somewhat understand what you are going through, but you should try to earn Trunks' forgiveness at least once." Having said what he needed to say he got up and left, leaving Vegeta with his thoughts.

To Be Continued. . .

Author's Notes: I know that Goku actually took Ubuu for a year of training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber which means that only a day would have passed in the real world but oh well I wanted him gone so I changed it. There are only a few chapters left in the story so please bear with me and the more praise I get the faster I update lol.


	4. Chapter 4

From The Pages

By: Nova Starlight

Chapter 4: The Party

The night of Goten and Trunks' housewarming party finally arrived and Vegeta was still struggling with the decision of whether or not he should put in an appearance. He sat on the bed and watched as Bulma looked at herself in the mirror and then began putting on makeup. "Are you going?" she asked over her shoulder as if she were reading his thoughts.

"I am not sure if I should," he replied. She stopped primping herself in the mirror and turned to look at him. He sat there with his shoulders slumped and one the meekest looks on his face. She rarely saw this side of Vegeta before Trunks' death and now it was more and more commonplace, a fact she was not sure if she appreciated as much as she may have once thought she would.

"Look," she said placing a hand on his shoulder. "I think what Goku told you is right, you should at least make one real attempt at earning Trunks' forgiveness before you just throw in the towel. If you do not try, you will just spend the rest of your life wondering if your apology would have made any difference. I am not entirely sure why he hates you so much but you are not the only one who has done some reflecting. I was not exactly mother of the year and I hate admitting that I neglected him in favor of Bra when she was born but there is nothing I can do to take that back now. I just appreciate every day that I have Trunks back on this Earth with me." Then she moved her hand away and finished putting on her makeup in silence. When she left the room a few minutes later with Bra at her side he had made his decision.

The party was in full swing when Bulma and Bra arrived and Goten was a little saddened by the fact that Vegeta had not come along but he kept quiet about it and just smiled brightly at Trunks. The party was getting ready to wind down when Goten heard the doorbell and he felt his heart jump in his throat. It had to be Vegeta, everyone else that they had invited was here, and he wondered if Trunks had picked up on that. He slowly moved away from the door and watched as Trunks made his way over to open it. He could feel himself preparing for a very bad reaction.

The door was opened and there stood Vegeta looking right in to Trunks' eyes. He saw the look of utter shock on his face that switched to anger within a few seconds time. "What in the hell are you doing here?" he asked. "Never mind," he continued without giving Vegeta a chance to respond. "I don't care why you are here I just want you to be gone and then he went to slam the door in his face. Goten put his hand in the way to stop him and looked right into Trunks' eyes.

"What is the big deal with letting him stay?" Goten asked sweetly. All of a sudden the anger that had been directed at Vegeta was directed at him and he had no idea what to do. Trunks let go of the door and grabbed Goten's arm instead, then pulled him away to the kitchen. "Why did you pull me in here?" he asked.

"What is going on between you and my dad?" Trunks asked. "You have been defending him ever since I got back and you keep making attempts to patch us up, as if we ever had a fucking father-son relationship to begin with. I want a goddamned explanation." Goten was both surprised and a little upset himself/

"Would you quit yelling at me like I am a child! I was just trying to be helpful and keep you from one day regretting that you never patched things up with your dad because he didn't hold you enough as a kid!" The second the words had tumbled past his lips he wanted to take them back but he did not get the chance.

"Fuck You! Goten! You don't have the slightest clue about it or anything else. I just wish you would quit acting like my damn mother and respect my fucking wishes. Then he turned and walked out of the room and back into the party. The fight had not come to blows but the stress of it weighed down on Goten and he felt tears coming to his eyes. He stayed in the kitchen and allowed himself to cry over the fact that he had once again had a fight with Trunks over his parents and he wondered if maybe Trunks was right and he should just stay out of it.

When Trunks returned back to the party he saw that no one had even noticed the spectacle at the front door and the music had been playing so loud that no one had heard the fight. He walked over to the wall and leaned back against it with his arms crossed, not even realizing that the person he got that stance from was watching him carefully from across the room. Minutes later when Goten re-entered the room with eyes that looked slightly puffy he felt his regret about coming here kick in, he had no intention of making Trunks and Goten fight over his presence here, especially not to the point where Goten was in tears.

He was not the only one who felt guilty when he caught sight of those eyes. Trunks had never intended to upset Goten that much and he probably should not have even yelled at him to begin with. A slow song came on at the most opportune moment and he moved away from the wall to approach him. "I am sorry Goten," he whispered in a voice thick with emotion. "I should not have yelled at you, you were just trying to help me and I should have seen it as proof that you love me and my stubborn ego."

Goten smiled and wrapped his arms around his neck. "I should not have yelled at you either and if I can love you in all your stupidity then you can put up with mine"

They kissed lightly and Trunks whispered. "I will make it up to you later." Then they just held onto each other; both glad they could be so easily forgiven. When Vegeta witnessed the exchange between them he concluded that he had done enough damage for the evening. He said a quick goodbye to Bulma and Goku, and then he left the party and returned to Capsule Corp. to wait for his family to return to him.

Goku had mixed feelings as he watched Vegeta leave in an obvious sulk. In some ways it was refreshing to not observe every emotion Vegeta had being suppressed by outward anger. On the other hand he could no understand the depth of Trunks' grudge against him. He would not spoil this party anymore than it had been already but tomorrow he intended to talk about this whole situation with Trunks. Then he forced himself to put it out of his mind and he watched as Gohan danced with Pan in his arms and Goten was held in Trunks' embrace; His family was alive, happy, and healthy, which was more than enough for him in this turbulent world.

The next day everyone slept in, so it was almost noon when everyone began to work on cleaning up after the party. Goku grabbed a few sacs of garbage and asked Trunks to grab the rest of them to take them out. Trunks picked them up without question and followed him out of the house where everyone was doing the last of the cleaning. He dumped the sacs by the back door and turned to return to the house but Goku stopped him. "What is going on?" he asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about what is going on between you and Vegeta," he replied.

"Come on Goku, what goes on between my father and I, is none of your business." Then he moved as if he was going to try walking around him but Goku blocked him again. "Why is this so important to you?" Trunks asked him in frustration.

"Because I have no idea how I would react if Goten despised me as much as you seem to despise your father. Besides I know a little more about the situation than you do, and I think I could share it with you if you are willing to listen."

"Man, everyone thinks they have some insight into my head and what happened between my father and me for years; does everyone read minds?" He ran his fingers through his hair and sat down on the grass. "Well impart your wisdom on me, oh great and wonderful Goku," he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

Goku did not let Trunks' attitude faze him and he sat down on the grass in front of him. "I went by Capsule Corp. the other day and I had a talk with Vegeta but did you know that there is no longer a gravity room structure on the premises?"

"About my time my mother refused to repair them when he would tear them up with his tantrums," he replied.

Goku sighed and realized that he was not going to get through to Trunks this way. "Well fine then if that is what you think happened; let me ask you this, do you know how you were brought back from otherworld?"

"I must have been wished back with the dragonballs," he replied. When he saw Goku shake his head, thought again. "Namek's dragonballs then," he asserted. Goku shook his head once again and finally Trunks said, "Okay, how was I brought back then?"

"Your father made a deal with someone in otherworld that if they brought you back he would allow his soul to be sent to hell when he died, instead of Heaven where the Supreme Kai had ordered he be sent after the Buu incident." Trunks face was showing his surprise at Goku's answer.

"Why would he do that?" Trunks asked in a small voice that sounded almost like the voice of a stunned child. "He barely gave a damn for me as a child and I was as good as wallpaper once Bra was born, why would he make such a sacrifice for me?"

"Because he loves you," Goku answered. "He never once suggested to me that he was not at fault for your bad blood but is that any reason to let it continue like this?"

Trunks nodded and as he watched Goku stand up he asked, "Who in otherworld did he make a deal with?"

"I am not sure," Goku replied. "He would not tell me when I asked." Then he turned and walked into the house. Trunks mind was racing but within a matter of seconds he had come up with a plan and raced off to find a dragon radar.

To Be Continued. . .


	5. Chapter 5

From The Pages

By: Nova Starlight

Chapter 5: Coming To Terms With Fate

Trunks gathered the dragonballs in record time and found an empty and quiet field in which he could summon the dragon without alerting too many people. His nervousness that had been pushed back by his desire to discover the truth behind this whole odd situation was catching up on him now that he had them all and was ready to call the Shenlong. He could only hope that no matter what he discovered, he would be able to handle it. With a vigorous shake of his head he pushed his doubts aside once again and summoned the dragon before he lost his nerve. "Great Dragon, I summon you forth to grant my wishes."

A brilliant burst of light exploded from where the dragonballs lay on the ground. Within an instant the slightly cloudy sky became pitch black and thunder rolled loudly throughout the area. The gold light shot from the ground and extended upward to that sky, higher and higher, as it did it filled out into the shape of the great dragon; and as a single bolt of lightning shot from the sky, the light dissipated and the green scaly form of Shenlong looked down on him from above. "You have summoned me," he bellowed. "Now tell me, what is your wish?"

Trunks took a deep breath and called out, "I wish to speak to the Supreme Kai."

"That is a difficult wish," The dragon responded. "If I grant it, I will not be able to return you to Earth; you will remain there in the other world."

Trunks had expected as much. Shenlong could only grant one wish and therefore he would be transported to Otherworld, but it would take another wish to get him back. Thinking over everything that had been happening around him since his return, Goten and Vegeta's understanding of each other, the way everyone had been surprised by his return, and now this stuff about his father making a deal for his life. He needed answers, no matter what the price. "I understand," Trunks called back with a voice he knew sounded shaky and unsure.

"So be it," Shenlong stated. "Your wish is granted."

Trunks squeezed his eyes shut as large plumes of smoke seemed to swirl around him and then once again he could feel the brilliant light around him, almost like it was a source of warmth. When he opened his eyes a few seconds later he was standing on the planet of the Supreme Kai and he could see Shin in the distance, and he was approaching fast. He guessed that he would need to be direct and simply tell Shin everything from the beginning.

When they were only a few feet apart he heard him ask, "Trunks, what are you doing here?" Then his eyes looked Trunks over, as he came to the top of his head, Trunks could see his shock and confusion. "Where is your halo?" he asked.

"I'm not dead," replied Trunks. "At least I am not dead anymore."

"How is that possible?" Shin countered.

"That's actually what I came here to ask you," Trunks said with a sigh. He sat down in the grass and prepared to tell him as much as he knew about the current situation. He was relieved when Shin sat down on the grass as well, facing him, as if in understanding that Trunks had a lot to tell him. "A few months ago, I was returned to Earth and though I did not know how the event came to be, I did not question it because I assumed I had been wished back with the dragonballs," he began.

"A logical assumption, all things considered," Shin commented. "In fact, I should have probably jumped to that conclusion myself." Then he paused and thought for another moment. "However, since you are here, explaining this to me, I wager that was not how you were brought back?"

"No," Trunks answered. "I am still not entirely sure what transpired, but it seems that my father made a deal with someone in Otherworld. He agreed to allow his soul to be sent to Hell in exchange for my life on Earth being restored."

"You can't be serious?" Shin insisted.

"I am," Trunks responded with the dejection and sadness he had been, stifling off, coming into his voice.

"Such a deal is not only unorthodox, it is completely prohibited," Shin explained. "The decision of whether a soul goes to Heaven or Hell is exclusively within my discretion, and I decided years ago during the Majin Buu incident that your father deserved his place in Heaven."

"I understand," Trunks admonished. "I knew that you would have no part of any deal such as this. I am also not in any way saying that I disagree with your decision. I simply believed that you should be informed and everything should be made right. That is why I gathered the Earth's dragonballs and wished myself here."

At hearing Trunks's comments, Shin seemed to calm visibly. "I do appreciate your support but I guess that is to be expected since I would be saving your father from spending an eternity in Hell." Then he stood up and began to dust himself off. "I assure you that all of this will be sorted out and cleared up as quickly as possibly. Everything will be back to the way it was before."

"Which means I will be returning to Otherworld right?" Trunks asked.

"Unfortunately, yes, but that does not necessarily have to be an abrupt parting. I will return you to Earth and allow you one week to say your goodbyes to your friends and family. Then I will come and personally escort you back to Otherworld."

"Thank you, very much," Trunks replied. "I do appreciate your giving me this time to sort things out. I came here on a whim and no one knew of my intentions."

"Then I am happy to give you this chance," Shin remarked.

Suddenly, Trunks felt the same wind and smoke swirl around him again, only this time it was returning him to Earth. He closed his eyes again and when he opened them he stood in the field, in the light of a setting sun. This meant that just a few moments had passed in Otherworld but hours had passed here. He was sure that Goten would be worried about him with the way he had run off, but he needed to take care of something before he headed home. He took off into the air in the direction of Capsule Corp.

It was another dull evening at Capsule Corp. Vegeta sat around the living room waiting for his wife to leave the laboratory and get started on their dinner. He lay back on the couch and allowed his hand to smooth over his own belly marveling at the fact that he had started to gain a little weight; granted nothing too drastic but suddenly his body was looking more normal, more human. When he heard the sound of the doorbell he immediately went answer it. "It's probably just a delivery to the lab, like always," he muttered to himself.

When he opened the door he was surprised to find himself standing face to face with the son he had started to believe he would never see again. "Trunks, what are you doing here?" he asked in amazement.

"I came to talk to you," he replied. "Mind if I come in?" Vegeta said nothing in response, he just simply stepped out of the way and allowed Trunks enter the room. He sat down on the couch and Vegeta followed suit, but before he could ask him any questions or say anything whatsoever, Trunks began speaking. "I came here to talk to you because I found out about what happened after I died; everything that happened."

Vegeta was once again surprised but he kept calm. He wanted to be absolutely sure of what Trunks knew before he went shooting off with explanations he may not even have to give. He wanted their relationship to be honest but even he was not sure he was totally ready to deal with the issue of the journal or his agreement with that demon. "What exactly do you assume to know?" he inquired, trying to keep his voice calm; so as not to give anything away.

"Well, I know that I was not wished back with Earth's dragonballs or Namek's. You made an agreement with someone in Otherworld, exchanging my life for your soul going to Hell when you die."

Not even bothering to deny it, Vegeta simply asked, "Who told you?"

"Goku," Trunks murmured softly. "He thought by telling me what happened you and I would patch things up." Then with a laugh he said, "Don't you just hate it when that idiot is right?"

"You have no idea," Vegeta said with a smile of his own. "So, you are here to patch things up?"

"That among other things," he stated with a tone that was now cold and serious again. "But, first I have something to tell you, and I warn you, you are not going to like it."

What is it?" Vegeta questioned with concern entering his voice.

"When I found out what happened I gathered the dragonballs and wished for a meeting with the Supreme Kai. I told him everything that happened and he is sorting out the entire matter right now and tracking down who made the offer. Of course that also means that I have to return to Otherworld and your soul will no longer be going to Hell when you die. Shin is coming to escort me back to Otherworld personally, one week from today."

Vegeta was frozen in shock for just a moment and then rage and disbelief bubble to the surface and before he could stop himself he shouted, "Why in the hell would you do such a thing!" Trunks did not respond at all, he simply sat there on the sofa staring down at his feet as if they were arresting his total attention. Vegeta leapt to his feet and began to pace the floor in front of him, unable to form his thoughts.

Finally, Trunks broke the silence saying, "Look, you earned your right to be in Heaven, and you should not have wasted it on bringing me back. Besides, that deal could have been tossed out the second the Supreme Kai realized what was going on, which could have been anytime."

That got the words flowing from Vegeta again, "You don't know what kind of man I was before you were born, or sometimes even after. I have killed hundreds, possibly even thousands, of innocent creatures throughout the universe. The only place I _earned_ spending an eternity in is Hell." Then he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration as he continued to pace. "Though, I guess what is done, is done and there is nothing I can do about it now."

"Yes, it is done and over with now," Trunks whispered softly. "I will be returning to Otherworld with Shin in a week's time." Then he stood up and stopped Vegeta's pacing by blocking his path. "Though, there is one thing I must ask you. Why you even bothered to bring me back at all? Why did you feel the need to return me to earth when the dragonballs were no longer an option?"

Vegeta was unsure of what he should say. He had believed that his actions would have spoken louder than his words that his sacrifice would have ultimately shown Trunks that he had loved him and that is why he had done whatever he could to have him brought back to Earth. The unsuccessfulness of that approach was made even clearer when he heard Trunks's next comment. "I mean let's be honest, you were never attached to me as a child, usually wanting as little to do with me as possible, and once Bra was born I may as well have not even existed." Did Trunks still feel that way, after all of this time?

In some small way, he had been expecting this reaction since the night he had first read Trunks's journal, but he had always hoped that it would not be quite as bad as this. "I am sorry," he started simply. "I never should have treated you the way I did and though I know there is no excuse, I can only hope you will forgive me." Trunks seemed floored by the sentiment and once again resumed his seat on the sofa. "I would never pretend that everything you are feeling right now is unwarranted," Vegeta continued. "But, I want you to know that I always loved you, you are my only son, and though I may have been more openly affectionate with Bra, I love you equally. My actions were not a representation of my true feelings and by the time I had realized all the mistakes I made you were all grown up and then you were gone."

"This is strange," Trunks said bluntly. "You seem different; everything around here has changed with everyone. There is something deeper going on here between these new emotions you are showing me and this secret thing between you and Goten, I want to know what else triggered this epiphany of yours." Vegeta remained silent and looked down at Trunks as if he needed more convincing. "I deserve to know what is going on between you and Goten. Hell, you were not even surprised about my relationship with Goten and I thought that was a shock that would put you in the grave."

Vegeta sighed and stood up. "Wait here, I need to get something to show you." Then he walked out of the room and down the hallway. He had no idea what was going on but his curiosity was definitely growing by the second. Each second that ticked by on the hanging wall clock seemed to last an hour. Moments later, Vegeta returned holding what looked like a book in his hand; as he came closer Trunks recognized it as his journal, the one had been keeping off and on since childhood.

"You read my journal!" Trunks asked in shock.

"Yes," Vegeta mumbled as if he were slightly ashamed. "I hope you are not too upset with me but after you died I was confronted with the fact that I had just buried my son that I knew so little about. I found it while your mother and I were going through your room for clothes to bury you in and I read it on a whim." Then he sighed and sat down on the sofa again so that he could look Trunks in the eye. "If you perceive that there is some sort of partnership between Goten and myself it is because I let Goten read it also. We both needed a way to work through our grief when you were gone and this was the only way we could think of to do it. Besides, a vengeful part of me wanted him to see how much he had hurt you when he dumped you."

Trunks barely remembered what he had written in the journal over the years and as he flipped through the pages skimming the lines, he blushed crimson when he came to the entry about his first time with Goten. He could not help himself from mumbling, "I guess this is where you learn about my relationship with Goten."

"Yes, it was." Vegeta stated. "And if it makes you feel any better, the shock almost did put me in my grave." Trunks could not stop himself from laughing and then he closed the journal and looked down at the floor again.

"I appreciate what you did for me," he began softly. "But, it should not have been done and now that everything is being taken care of I need to go and tell Goten. You were my first stop after speaking with Shin."

"And what about Goten?" Vegeta asked. "What do you think he will do after you have gone?"

"Hopefully, for him at least, he will find someone new to be with that will make him happy," Trunks affirmed in a strong voice. Then he turned away hoping Vegeta would not see him wipe a tear from his eye. Then without another word, Trunks opened the door and walked out of the Capsule Corp. building with a heart both heavy with sadness and light with a newly discovered love and appreciation. This would be the last time he would walk away from this building; this was his last week on Earth. The sky was dark and he took his time in flying back to the Son household, he needed time to shore up his courage and decide what he intended to say.

To Be Continued. . .

Author's Notes: Okay only one chapter left and look I'm updating more often YAY! BTW I have been told by MANY people that I need a beta so if there are any volunteers out there e-mail me.


	6. Chapter 6

From The Pages

By: Nova Starlight

Chapter 6: The Hand of Fate

Trunks slowly pushed open the door of his new home trying to be as quiet as possible. He was tired and bone weary from his exhausting day but he was also afraid of what would be awaiting him when he stepped inside. After Goku had revealed the circumstances under which he had been brought back to Earth he had rushed off to settle the matter, and had not even told Goten he was leaving. He was unsure of whether he would face an angered or worried lover when he stepped inside, but he was not really prepared for either. His plan was to simply calm down the situation if necessary and then explain everything to Goten, the conversation with Goku, his visit to Shin, and finally the fact that Shin would be arriving in just one week's time to return him to Otherworld for good.

The sight that greeted him as he walked in the door both warmed and broke his heart. Goten was curled up on the couch by the front window, wrapped in the comforter from their bed, it looked as if he had simply fallen asleep there waiting for Trunks to return home. Trunks' aching heart simply urged him to carry his love upstairs and hold him close until morning, but his mind knew that he needed to tell his love what had happened so that they could both prepare for what was to come. He sat down next to Goten on the couch and gently shook him by the shoulder to wake him.

Goten stirred and looked up at Trunks with the remnants of sleep in his eyes. "Where have you been?" he asked sleepily. "I was waiting up for you."

"I … uh… went to visit my father," Trunks answered, his thoughts racing to come up with some sort of transition into what he needed to say.

Goten's eyes opened wide and he seemed instantly awake. "You did?" he asked in amazement. "I was starting to think it would take some kind of miracle for you to even look at him again."

Trunks could not stop himself from wincing visibly. Then he looked deep into Goten's eyes with the most serious expression he had ever had, "Listen Goten, your father approached me this afternoon and told me some pretty shocking news. I left from here immediately after so that I could take of things. You see, he told me that I had not been brought back to life by the dragonballs."

"Well of course you were brought back by the dragonballs," Goten insisted. "How else could you have been brought back?"

"My father made a deal with a demon in Otherworld to bring me back in exchange for my father's soul going to Hell when he dies," Trunks replied.

"What!" Goten exclaimed. "Is that even possible?"

"Yes it is, otherwise I would not be here," Trunks replied. "You see the Earth's dragonballs can only bring back someone who has never been brought back before, which means they could not have been the ones used because I was brought back as a child during the Buu disaster. As for the dragonballs from Namek they can bring people back an infinite number of times but they have to be used within one month of the person's death. So you see, I could not have been brought back by either,"

"Oh my god," Goten said on a sigh of realization. Then he wrapped his arms around Trunks and pulled him close. "So what did you do?" he asked finally.

"I gathered the dragonballs and wished to see the Supreme Kai. He informed me that the agreement that had been made had not been approved by him and therefore was null and void, so my father's soul does not have to go Hell when he dies."

"Well that's good, I mean that you did something like that for your father," Goten commented.

"Unfortunately, that's not the end of the story," he continued. "You see when he undid the agreement he undid the whole agreement, so while my father's soul will not go to Hell, I will be returning to Otherworld." He saw the tears instantly well up in Goten's eyes.

"How long do you have?" he asked in a voice barely above a whisper that tore through Trunks's heart like a knife.

"One week," Trunks answered, knowing his own sadness came through in his voice. "Shin will be coming to take me back but he wanted to give me some time to say my goodbyes." Goten silently moved out of his arms and stood, allowing the blanket that was wrapped around him to drop to the floor, still silent, he then walked up the stairs, down the hallway, and into the master bedroom of their brand new home; intended for them to share for the rest of their lives and simply sobbed until he fell asleep.

The days passed quickly though they were blanketed in sadness and Goten's despair. Trunks was determined to show as much love and devotion to Goten as he could before he would be forced to leave him, but nothing seemed to lift his spirits. Trunks had brought him breakfast in bed, built roaring fires to cuddle in front of, and even tried to romance him with flowers and wine; none of it worked. During every gesture, Goten was weeping and crying and Trunks could not bear to see it anymore.

Finally, after six days of failure, Trunks knew there were more important matters that needed his attention. He drew up a last will and testament and needed to discuss arrangements for handling everything after he was gone. Seeing how Goten was responding he knew it would need to be left in someone else's hands for a while so he called over Gohan to talk with him about the situation. That night over drinks Trunks explained the setup of the accounts to Gohan, signed the power of attorney papers, and gave Gohan a budget plan for covering the house bills for the next year if necessary, Goten could hear every word they were saying from the back porch where he lie in the hammock crying. Hearing these plans made everything even more real, Trunks would be leaving and there was only one day left.

It was like experiencing Trunks' death all over again, he had felt trapped in his sadness, simply waiting for the fateful moment to arrive. Tomorrow that moment would arrive and he still seemed frozen, unable to respond to give Trunks what he needed right now. He listened carefully as the conversation inside wrapped up and he heard Gohan leave. A few moments later he heard Trunks sigh deeply and head up the stairs. Goten wiped his face and eyes until no trace of the tears remained, and then he followed Trunks up to their bedroom.

When he walked in Trunks was lying there in bed looking out the window at the moon. "I'm sorry," he said softly, without turning to look. "Maybe when I found out the truth I should have just left everything alone. All I succeeded in doing was messing up our lives and even my own father is upset at what I have done, he really wanted me to have this second chance and I messed it up." It was then that Goten truly felt ashamed. He had been wallowing in his own sorrow throughout the past week and had given barely a thought towards what Trunks was going through. He gave a small smile and made his way across the room towards the bed. Without a word of even an audible breath, he laid down next to Trunks and moved into his arms.

"If anyone should be sorry, it's me," he stated in a voice barely above a whisper. "All I have been able to focus on is how hurt I am by losing you again, that I have become so selfishly consumed by my own grief, and you are not even gone yet." It was then that a single tear slipped down from his eye and he choked back the small sob straining to escape from his throat. "I love you more than anything, I should be supporting you, but instead you are trying to support and coddle me." Trunks looked deeply into Goten's eyes, silent, as if he was unsure of what to say. Goten rose up and swung one of his legs over Trunks' lap so that he was straddling him and he said, "We still have tonight."

Without a word Trunks sat upright and pulled him into a tight and warm embrace. Trunks kissed him passionately, more so that he ever had before, Goten's mind became fluid and he was pliant under the ministrations of his lover. Trunks' hands were caressing him everywhere that they could reach while at the same time holding their bodies tightly together as if he were trying to prevent Goten from putting any distance between them. Goten's hands were busy as well ripping away at Trunks' shirt trying to be as close to him as he could physically accomplish.

Within seconds it had escalated beyond kissing. Trunks had laid back and allowed Goten to lay on top him. They were melting and molding into each other as they twisted against one another on the soft sheets of their bed. Goten felt a groan rumble in his throat and make its way through his lips as Trunks persisted in nibbling and kissing at his throat. It was more than clear what was about to take place and that it would be the last time for a very long time but Goten focused on the moonlight coming in through the window, the feel of Trunks' hands, and his own body's reaction; forcing out his doubts and worries; and surprisingly he could not feel even one tear drop from his eyes.

Moments later, Goten lay on his back looking up into the eyes of his lover as they moved together building a rough yet tender rhythm. Goten kept his arms around Trunks holding their bodies together as much as he could, hear Trunks' words of love in his ear, seeing the loving look in his eyes, he needed it; needed all of it at this moment. As the pace increased the franticness of his need increased. "I love you Trunks," he heard himself saying over and over as their bodies began to crash tumultuously against one another's.

When it was over and he lay there in Trunks' arms, that is when he could no longer hold back the tears, he buried his face into the crook of Trunks' neck and only hoped that Trunks would not feel the wetness, impulsively he reached up to Trunks' face and felt the same presence of tears on Trunks' cheek. Without words they only sobbed in silence holding each other through the night.

The next morning the sun rose to disturb their time together and Goten had wished it could remain night just a little while longer. Trunks stood and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, "I guess if I am going to die today, I should go comfortably." Goten could tell he had been working towards a nervous laugh but Goten could not even muster a smile. He dressed as well and prepared to walk out with Trunks to meet Shin, he was sure to arriving soon and the outcome was inevitable. In truth, they spent an hour lying in the hammock on their back porch just waiting, before Shin finally arrived.

"Good Morning," Shin called out to them. Both Trunks and Goten gave no response they simply looked at each other and got out of the hammock and approached Shin. "It is time to go Trunks," Shin commented.

"I know," he answered.

It was in that instant that they sensed high level energy approaching and as they watched the sky they saw Vegeta land on the ground a foot or two away and call out to them. "Wait!"

"Vegeta?" Shin questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to beg for my son's life," he replied.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Trunks asked. "There is nothing that can be done, I have to go back."

"Please, Supreme Kai, he was brought back here through my mistake but while he was here he had established a life for himself and found love," with the last comment he gave a pointed glance at Goten, then quickly turned back to Shin. "There must be some way that he can stay, I will give you whatever you want."

Shin studied Vegeta quickly; seeing how serious he was about his proposal. "Anything? Even if I told you that I would let him stay if _you_ came to Otherworld instead?"

"Yes," Vegeta answered in a second.

"What are you doing?" Trunks demanded. "This is ludicrous!"

Shin gently put his hand on to Trunks' shoulder and gently assured him. "It was merely a question I have no intention of taking your father to Otherworld." Then he paused and made sure to hold the gaze of each of the three men there and continued, "However, I will allow Trunks to remain here on Earth and live out his life." A small smile appeared on his face and it was contagious. Trunks was laughing brightly as he picked Goten up in his arms and held him in the air. Shin and Vegeta stepped back and observed the scene.

"You know I would have agreed to your offer?" Vegeta asked.

"Yes, I do," Shin replied. "That was really convinced me to allow him to stay here." Then he looked away and said, "I should be going, I have done what I came here to do."

Before Vegeta could ask if that meant Shin had never intended to take Trunks, he had disappeared. Vegeta laughed lightly and looked over at his son and Goten. Maybe it was better if he did not have all the answers.

The End


End file.
